A user on Reddit infuriated the internet after posting a screenshot of texts with their landlord.
After a night of heavy rain, water began leaking underneath the front door of their rental. Concerned, they immediately sent a picture of the leak to their landlord, hoping for a quick fix to the problem.
Instead, they got a nonchalant dismissal.
"Yeah, that happens during a hard rain," the landlord replied. "Please put a fan on it if you have one. Thank you!"
Despite the landlord's apathy, the tenant was right to be worried.
Excess moisture in homes can increase the risk of mold growth, leading to a host of issues. As mold grows, it slowly breaks down and destroys whatever it is growing on, whether it be ceilings, walls, or furniture. Also, mold can cause various adverse health effects, including eye irritation, congestion, sneezing, coughing, wheezing, lung infections, and even asthma.
When it comes to mold growth due to a landlord's negligence, as would seem to be the case in this instance, it is their legal responsibility to address and remove it for the tenant.
Users in the comments of the tenant's post suggested they be more direct in asking the landlord to address the leak problem.
"Reply with: Apologies, I was unclear in my message," recommended one user. "Please urgently repair the leak in the front door. Thank you."
Another person suggested pressuring the landlord into action with legal consequences.
"Threaten to call a health inspector to check for mold in the wall. That will get your landlord to do something fast," they wrote.
Unfortunately, lackluster responses like this from landlords aren't uncommon. Sometimes, carefully looking over your lease and researching local and state laws is the only way to garner action or create change.
When you do succeed, sharing your success with neighbors and other tenants on the internet is also a great way to pay it forward so they, too, can forge change in their homes.
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
